The wires in your walls carrying electricity might have been sitting there since before you were born. Depending on the age of your home, your wiring might not meet any of today’s building codes. While it might not be a problem for you right now, it is possible that your wiring will pose a problem when you need to do any type of modification to it.
Some methods of wiring that were used in the past are now considered to be unsafe for residential use, such as aluminum wiring, knob and tube wiring, and receptacles that aren’t properly grounded.
If you have to do any major modifications to your wiring, you definitely should consult an experienced electrician. In some cases, you might even need to shop around to find someone that has experience with the type of wiring you have, since improper modifications could pose a major fire hazard. If someone has done work on your home in the past, but you’re not sure if it was done properly, have it inspected as soon as possible.
